Million Mile Month: Week 3

With the end of the third week of April, this pedometer geek has completed over 90% of the goal of 100 miles chosen in HealthCode.org’s Million Mile Month challenge. This challenge attracts a community of runners, walkers, bicyclists, swimmers, and more, by the way.

This pedometer geek hopes to complete the 100 miles in a few days, and then add to the community’s total toward the million (with an M) miles. Will the goal be met? There is still time to join up. Just check out the website for details on how to become a member of this international community.

Haiku

This week’s prompt at the Haiku Foundation’s Haiku Dialogue was a hand-me-down toy. Here is my contribution, which was featured by the editor, Craig Kittner:

dings and dents

another generation learns

to ride the bike

~Nancy Brady, 2019

Check out all the haiku at http://www.thehaikufoundation.org under Haiku Dialogue. There are plenty of excellent haiku.

 

Million Mile Month: Week 2

Health Code’s Million Mile Month is in full swing. So far, the community of walkers, runners, bikers, swimmers, and those who are participating in other assorted activities have reached over 500,000 miles according to the e-mail this pedometer geek received today. It is not too late to join in there and help make the goal of 1,000,000 miles; there are still more than two weeks to go.

As of the 14th of April, this pedometer geek has completed 63 miles of the 100 miles that I challenged myself to complete. I am optimistic that I can complete the remaining 37 miles before the end of April, but how many more can this urban hiker add to the community’s total?

 

 

If Wishes Were Horses… (A 99-word Flash Fiction)

If Wishes Were Horses…

Julie was one of the smallest kids in her class, and she was always picked last for every team. Despite that, she loved playing volleyball.

The school started an intramural league for the students; the team members would be picked for each volleyball team. First, however, Coach Coffman would decide who would be the captains of the teams. The captains then selected their players.

Julie asked the coach if she could be a captain. Wringing her hands, she implored him, saying, “Please, please, can I be a captain?”

To which, Coach Coffman said, “Absolutely not. Beggars can’t be choosers.”

Nancy Brady, 2019

This week’s prompt over at Carrot Ranch (www.carrotranch.com) was to write a 99-word (no more, no less) flash fiction, which incorporated the phrase, “beggars can’t be choosers.” Here is my take on the prompt. To join in or to read all of them, especially those which are less tongue-in-cheek, check out the site.

Million Mile Month 2019

Once again, this pedometer geek has signed up to participate for April’s Million Mile Month through Health Code. This is the sixth year for this event. This event brings a community of people from around the world together. Each participant either walks, runs, bikes, or chooses other activities to collectively reach a million miles during the month of April.

Although it began six days ago, it is still possible to sign up for it and contribute to a healthier lifestyle for yourself and others. Just check out http://www.Healthcare.org.

This urban hiker has set the goal of one hundred miles, and as of yesterday, over twenty-six miles have been logged toward that goal.

Sebastian’s Bird: 99-word flash fiction

This week’s prompt over at Carrot Ranch was to write a 99-word (no more, no less) flash fiction using the word fire. Having slacked off on the last several prompts, here is my story.

Sebastian’s Bird

Sebastian didn’t know where it came from, nor where it disappeared to every so often, but he loved that bird. It appeared most often when he was upset, angry, or needed help, or at least, that was the way it seemed. That is, until his bird became lethargic and his red-gold feathers began to droop. He fed his bird a special diet to bring him back to health, but nothing he did for his bird seemed to work. In fact, the bird burst into flames, and died. From the ashes of the fire, the phoenix arose to new life.

Nancy Brady, 2019

See all the flash fiction stories over at http://www.carrotranch.com on this week’s prompt.

 

Chiseled Beauty: A 99-word flash fiction

This week’s prompt at Carrot Ranch was to use the word chisel/chiseled in 99 words (no more, no less). I actually missed the cut-off (again), which was yesterday. Where did the time go? Regardless, here is my flash fiction based upon the prompt.

Chiseled Beauty

Julie and her friends had gone to the art gallery. She saw him first across a crowded room. He was tall, lean, and his face was chiseled, the penultimate male. He was the man she had seen in her dreams so many times even though he was turned away from her. She would have recognized him anywhere, but he was surrounded by many admirers.

She just had to get closer and hope that a few of those hangers-on would have left. She would be patient. She slowly made her way towards him, waiting to see Michelangelo’s David up close.

Nancy Brady, 2019

A better title would have been Chiseled Good Looks, but it didn’t occur to me. By the way, this pedometer geek reader has identified chiseled as another What-the-tuck trend. Almost every male protagonist in romance novels has either a chiseled jaw (with scruff), chiseled cheekbones, or chiseled good looks.

To read all the flash fictions which were submitted on a timely basis, check out http://www.carrotranch.com.